Entries categorized "Professional Sales"

July 13, 2009

Having personally interviewed thousands of job applicants and being very particular about who I hire, I'd like to pass on some not so obvious tips that will give you an edge in finding that right person for the job.

• Google the person's name for red flags - I'm looking for comments or posts made to Web sites or groups. Is this person a 24/7 online game player?

• Online profiles - You would be amazed at how many people I haven't hired because of what they have posted for the world to see online.

• Review their voicemail greetings - I recently returned a call to a job applicant whose voicemail greeting was, "Hey, not available to talk 'cuz I've been out partying all night - leave a message - back at you." I simply hung up without leaving a message.

• E-mail address - If the applicants e-mail address is partyanimal at abc.com or drinkallnight at abc.com, you might want to think twice about this potential candidate.

• They've done their homework - Has the applicant reviewed your Web site and knows your mission and vision statements? Ideally, the job applicant does this without your prompting, before the interview.

• In the beginning - The first interview is about you the employer! I am constantly amazed by the number of applicants that are all about "me, me, me."

• Never a place and time - Does the applicant cuss? If they do in a series of job interviews, I assure you it is only the tip of the iceberg.

June 22, 2009

In the mind of a new member prospect, it is easier to make the decision not to buy your product or service than the possibility of making the wrong decision. Therefore, your goal is to help the prospect justify why they are not making the wrong decision.

Some useful techniques to help accomplish this are:Anticipate their objections in advance - play (be) the devil's advocate - here are some transition phrases to help you bring up that inevitable objection:

June 15, 2009

Remember that when you say it about yourself, it's bragging. When somebody else says it about you, it's proof.

Asking your customers and clients why they bought at the point of sale will provide you with invaluable information that will help with all subsequent sales.

Understanding someone's buying motives is 100 times more useful than your selling skills. When a customer or client gives you a compliment, ask them if they will put it in writing and ask for permission to use it in future marketing materials.

Written testimonials should be used for marketing materials only, not be used to sell. Verbal testimonials should be used in all verbal sales presentations and not be put in writing.

May 26, 2009

In my 25+ years of experience working with businesses across the country, I've found one common fear that hasn't changed is the ability to engage in small talk with a total stranger.

While the larger companies have teams of sales people or public relations specialists, entrepreneurs and sole proprietors often only have themselves.

Here are some great questions to begin a conversation at a chamber function, business expo or any other opportunity you have to promote your business, product, services or yourself.Start by asking the other person their name and the company they represent. (With a firm handshake and warm smile of course.)

Then you can proceed with any combination of the following questions. . .

· What do you enjoy about your profession? · How did you start in this profession? · What is the most difficult part of your job? · What separates you from the competition?· What was the strangest or funniest incident you've experienced in your business?· What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession/area of expertise through the years?· What do you see as the coming trends in your profession/area of expertise?

Again, this approach works well for meeting others in a business/networking situation when you are not sure how to begin a conversation. Once the interaction has begun, you will have an opportunity to answer their questions and let the conversation flow in a natural rhythm.

May 18, 2009

Multitasking is not an exception; it's the rule these days. It's easy to find yourself shuffling papers, writing a note, scanning your e-mail all while talking to a customer or prospect on the phone. My advice, don't.

You absolutely, positively must make sure your prospect or customer feels like the First, Last and Only (FLO) person you will be talking to all day and the only way to accomplish this is by giving them 100 percent of your attention.

The professionals that will find the FLO philosophy most beneficial are those having numerous telephone calls on a daily basis. After a while, it's easy to find yourself simply going through the repetitive motions both physically and mentally, taking away from what the other person is due, while hurting yourself and your company in the process. So before making that next call or picking up the phone, make sure to think about the FLO of the conversation.

May 04, 2009

I am a firm believer that a sales slump is nothing more than a state of mind that begins by consciously or unconsciously thinking about it. If you understand the law of attraction, you know firsthand that you will be drawn to what it is you think about and focus on. Therefore, by dwelling on ‘why you are not selling’ up to par, you are destined to make that your reality.

My recommendations for getting out of a sales slump:

Thought be gone! - If the thought of being in a sales slump enters your mind, think about something else as quickly as possible. Absorb yourself with positive reinforcements such as a good business book, audio or professional, encouraging people. (Run from those that enable doubts and uncertainty – you don’t need empathy, you need to change the subject.)

Get back to basics – Rather than over complicate the sales process, take yourself back to the fundamentals that served you well in the beginning. Think of it as spring training in baseball - even though these athletes are highly paid professionals, they understand the undisputed value in reviewing the basics of the game.

Plan your work and work your plan – I have found that many sales professionals in a slump have simply neglected to sit down and write out a plan of attack. Their goals and targets have become fuzzy and uninspired.

Remember the words of Henry Ford in one of my favorite quotes, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

April 27, 2009

- While a speaker says s an average of 100 words per minute, you are thinking at 400 words per minute. Don’t waste your thoughts on anything other than what they are saying. Focus on them! By the same token, if you are doing all the talking and they all the listening, the odds are they are thinking about something other than what you are saying, such as, “How can I graciously get out of this conversation? I know, I’ll ask them to send me some information or tell them that my non-existent partner needs to be in on this decision!”

-No matter what you say, the listener will only retain 50 percent of what you say after the conversation is complete. After 48 hours that will drop to 25 percent. Keep it simple and limit the stated benefits to one or two.

-Pausing encourages the other person to speak. And if you’re really good, you will notice when the other person is using pauses on you.

-The thing that people most want to hear in a conversation is their own voice. You can encourage this to happen by asking open-ended questions that begin with who, what, where, when, why or how

-Here a few additional questions to add to your question library."How do you feel about _____?”“What is your thinking on _____?”

-Seeking elaboration will help you to find the real meaning behind a person’s statement, thoughts and objections. Some examples of this are:

"Do you mean _____?”"Are you saying _____?”

-Last but not least – the more you say, the less income you are inclined to make.

April 20, 2009

In the mind of a prospect it is easier to make the decision not to buy or join, than face the possibility of making the wrong decision. Your goal is to help the prospect justify why they are not making the wrong decision. A useful technique is to anticipate their objections in advance – be the devil’s advocate – here are some transitional phrases to help you draw out that inevitable objection: